Halloween 2016

Halloween 2016

Halloween 2014

Halloween 2014

Halloween 2015

Halloween 2015

Halloween 2013

Halloween 2013

It’s the time of year where we celebrate fear. Like many of you, I am a huge fan of Halloween (because of the nail art and the candy). The NAILS team has had fun with this holiday the last few years by dressing up in a themed group costume. We’ve been Instagram filters, Clue characters, and even a nail bar — nothing too scary. This month as I was putting together our Crowdsourcing piece, I discovered that there are, however, many things that scare you.

In answer to our question “What is your biggest fear as a nail tech?” we received an overwhelming amount of health, business, and technique-related answers. Everything from carpal tunnel, to cutting a client, to losing the money you’ve invested, keeps many of you awake at night.

I wanted to let you know that I’ve read your comments and that I too, have professional and health worries. One of my biggest fears is becoming irrelevant. Like many of you, I feel that it can be a daily struggle to stay afloat, let alone stay current. But then I look at some of the digital pioneers in our industry, and I am comforted.

Nail tech and educator Elizabeth Morris started the first nail podcast, the Nail Hub. Liz addresses many scary topics and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. I appreciate her unbiased approach to innovative reporting and interviewing so much that we are now proud collaborators of this podcast.

Habib Salo of Young Nails didn’t know much about vlogging or video editing, but he picked up a camera and went to work recording anyway. He used YouTube to begin studying the editing process, and now records multiple vlogs a week for the company and continues to edit them himself (watch at www.nailsmag.com/youngnailsvlog).

What I’ve learned from these two powerhouses is that fear of the unknown needn’t hold you back. There are some fears we can overcome ourselves and there are others where we’re at the mercy of genetics. But we can’t live our lives consumed by fear. My conclusion is that the best way to face our fears is to challenge them head-on — to make mistakes, learn from them, and persist.

I admire the bravery of so many in our industry who have blazed trails and taken risks. But I am also assured more than ever by those of you who continue to put yourselves out there daily; by showing up to work despite the concerns or moments of self-doubt. After all, there’s nothing more frightening than regret. And if you’re still a little scared to try a new technique, open your own salon, or dive into social media, have no fear — NAILS is here to help.

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